Link

Encora Stream

Search

⚙️ Transcoders

Transcoders transform input streams into multiple quality renditions for adaptive bitrate streaming.

Table of contents

  1. Overview
    1. Key Features
  2. ABR Profiles
    1. Available Profiles
    2. Profile Characteristics
  3. Adding a New Transcoder
    1. Prerequisites
    2. Creation Steps
  4. Transcoder Configuration
    1. Basic Settings
    2. Rendition Settings
    3. Typical Rendition Ladder
  5. Viewing Transcoder Details
    1. Information Display
    2. Action Buttons
  6. Managing Transcoders
    1. Editing a Transcoder
    2. Enabling / Disabling
    3. Deleting a Transcoder
  7. Server Resource Planning
    1. CPU Requirements
    2. Memory Requirements
    3. Network Bandwidth
  8. Performance Optimization
    1. Best Practices
  9. Monitoring Transcoder Health
    1. Status Indicators
    2. Performance Metrics
  10. Troubleshooting
    1. Common Issues
    2. Diagnostic Steps
    3. Resolution Commands
  11. Best Practices Summary
    1. Configuration
    2. Operations
    3. Performance
  12. Related Documentation

Overview

Transcoders process input streams and generate multiple video renditions at different resolutions and bitrates. This enables Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming, where viewers automatically receive the best quality based on their available bandwidth.

Key Features

  • ABR Profile Support: Predefined quality profiles for different use cases
  • Multiple Renditions: Generate various quality levels simultaneously
  • Efficient Processing: Optimized transcoding performance
  • Server Distribution: Balance load across multiple servers
  • Real-time Processing: Low-latency transcoding for live streams

ABR Profiles

ABR (Adaptive Bitrate) Profiles define the video quality settings for transcoding. The platform provides several predefined profiles optimized for different scenarios.

Available Profiles

  • Low ABR: For bandwidth-constrained viewers
  • Medium ABR: Balanced quality and bandwidth
  • High ABR: Premium quality for high-speed connections
  • Custom ABR: Define your own rendition settings

Profile Characteristics

Each profile includes multiple renditions with specifications for:

  • Video resolution
  • Video bitrate
  • Audio bitrate
  • Frame rate
  • Codec settings

Adding a New Transcoder

Prerequisites

  • Input stream must be configured and active
  • Server with sufficient CPU and memory resources
  • ABR profile selected based on audience requirements

Creation Steps

  1. Navigate to Transcoders from the left sidebar
  2. Click Add Transcoder button (top-right)
  3. Select Input Stream:
    • Choose from available input streams
    • Verify Content ID matches your configuration
  4. Select ABR Profile:
    • Choose profile based on target audience
    • Consider bandwidth availability
  5. Select Server:
    • Choose server with available resources
    • Consider geographic location for latency
  6. Configure Renditions:
    • Enable/disable specific quality levels
    • Customize bitrates if needed
  7. Enable Transcoder: Toggle Enable = ON
  8. Click Save to create the transcoder

Transcoder Configuration

Basic Settings

FieldDescriptionExample
Input StreamSource video streamsports_hd_01
ABR ProfileQuality profileHigh ABR
ServerProcessing servertranscoder-01
StatusEnable/Disable toggleENABLED

Rendition Settings

Each rendition includes:

ParameterDescriptionExample Values
ResolutionVideo dimensions1920x1080, 1280x720, 854x480
Video BitrateVideo quality4500 Kbps, 2800 Kbps, 1400 Kbps
Audio BitrateAudio quality128 Kbps, 96 Kbps
Frame RateFrames per second30 fps, 25 fps
CodecVideo encodingH.264, H.265

Typical Rendition Ladder

High Quality Streaming:

  • 1080p @ 4500 Kbps
  • 720p @ 2800 Kbps
  • 480p @ 1400 Kbps
  • 360p @ 800 Kbps

Medium Quality Streaming:

  • 720p @ 2500 Kbps
  • 480p @ 1200 Kbps
  • 360p @ 700 Kbps
  • 240p @ 400 Kbps

Viewing Transcoder Details

Information Display

The transcoder details page shows:

Basic Information:

  • Input Stream reference
  • Content ID
  • ABR Profile name
  • Server assignment
  • Live Status (RUNNING / STOPPED)
  • Enabled Status

Rendition Details:

  • List of configured renditions
  • Enable/Disable status for each
  • Resolution and bitrate information

Timestamps:

  • Created At
  • Updated At

Action Buttons

  • Disable / Enable: Control transcoder operation
  • Edit: Modify configuration
  • Delete: Remove transcoder
  • Back: Return to list view

Managing Transcoders

Editing a Transcoder

Workflow:

  1. Navigate to transcoder details
  2. Click Edit button
  3. Modify settings:
    • Change server assignment
    • Enable/disable renditions
    • Update ABR profile
  4. Click Save to apply or Cancel to discard

Note: Cannot change input stream after creation. Delete and recreate if needed.

Enabling / Disabling

Toggle Operation:

  1. Go to Transcoders list
  2. Click toggle icon or use button in details view
  3. Confirm the action
  4. Monitor status change

Use Cases:

  • Temporary maintenance windows
  • Resource optimization during low demand
  • Testing and troubleshooting

Deleting a Transcoder

Warning: Ensure dependent packagers are removed first.

Workflow:

  1. Navigate to Transcoders list
  2. Click Delete (bin) icon
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. Verify removal from list

Before Deleting:

  • Stop all dependent packagers
  • Disable the transcoder
  • Verify no active viewers

Server Resource Planning

CPU Requirements

Transcoding is CPU-intensive. Plan resources based on:

  • Number of input streams
  • Number of renditions per stream
  • Input resolution and bitrate
  • Target output quality

Rule of Thumb:

  • 1080p input → 1-2 CPU cores per rendition
  • Multiple streams require dedicated servers
  • Monitor CPU usage and scale accordingly

Memory Requirements

Typical Memory Usage:

  • Base system: 2-4 GB
  • Per transcoder instance: 1-2 GB
  • Additional buffer for peak loads

Recommendations:

  • Minimum 8 GB for single transcoder
  • 16 GB+ for multiple transcoders
  • Monitor swap usage (should be minimal)

Network Bandwidth

Calculation:

  • Input stream bitrate × safety factor (1.5x)
  • Output bitrate sum × concurrent viewers
  • Add overhead for monitoring and management

Performance Optimization

Best Practices

Profile Selection:

  • Use appropriate ABR profile for your audience
  • Don’t over-provision quality for bandwidth-limited viewers
  • Test playback on target devices

Rendition Configuration:

  • Disable unused renditions to save resources
  • Match renditions to viewer demographics
  • Consider mobile-first strategies for broad audiences

Server Distribution:

  • Distribute load across multiple servers
  • Use dedicated servers for high-profile content
  • Monitor resource utilization continuously

Quality vs. Performance:

  • Balance quality settings with available CPU
  • Use hardware acceleration where available
  • Consider GPU-accelerated transcoding for scale

Monitoring Transcoder Health

Status Indicators

Live Status:

  • RUNNING: Actively transcoding
  • STOPPED: Not processing
  • ERROR: Requires attention

Health Checks:

  • Verify output renditions are generated
  • Monitor CPU and memory usage
  • Check for dropped frames or errors

Performance Metrics

Monitor these key indicators:

  • CPU Usage: Should be stable, not maxing out
  • Memory Usage: No memory leaks or swapping
  • Processing Latency: Time from input to output
  • Frame Rate: Consistent with input stream
  • Bitrate Stability: Output matches configuration

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue: Transcoder shows STOPPED status

  • Check if input stream is active
  • Verify server resources are available
  • Review transcoder logs for errors
  • Try disabling and re-enabling

Issue: Missing renditions

  • Verify renditions are enabled in configuration
  • Check CPU resources on transcoder server
  • Confirm server has network connectivity
  • Review error logs for processing failures

Issue: High CPU usage

  • Reduce number of active renditions
  • Lower output resolution or bitrate
  • Distribute load across more servers
  • Consider hardware acceleration

Issue: Output quality problems

  • Verify input stream quality is sufficient
  • Check for network packet loss
  • Review encoding settings in ABR profile
  • Test with different rendition configurations

Diagnostic Steps

  1. Check Input Stream: Verify source is healthy
  2. Review Server Resources: CPU, memory, disk I/O
  3. Examine Logs: Look for error messages
  4. Test Output: Verify renditions are playable
  5. Monitor Performance: Track metrics over time
  6. Restart If Needed: Disable/enable to reset state

Resolution Commands

Check transcoder process:

ps aux | grep transcoder
top -p <transcoder-pid>

Monitor CPU usage:

mpstat 1

Check output files:

ls -lh /opt/es/media/transcoder/

Best Practices Summary

Configuration

✓ Select appropriate ABR profiles for your audience ✓ Enable only necessary renditions ✓ Use consistent naming conventions ✓ Document server assignments ✓ Test configurations in staging first

Operations

✓ Monitor transcoder health continuously ✓ Plan capacity based on concurrent streams ✓ Schedule maintenance during low-traffic periods ✓ Maintain backup transcoders for critical content ✓ Keep deployment versions consistent

Performance

✓ Balance quality with available resources ✓ Distribute load across multiple servers ✓ Monitor and optimize CPU usage ✓ Use hardware acceleration where possible ✓ Profile performance under peak loads